Top 15 Most Influential Athletes in the Sneaker World
We're living in a time when influence matters. Products like sneakers get endorsed, and because of that, consumers come running with pitchforks and wads of cash in hand.
Speaking of sneakers, the post-Michael Jordan era we're all living in has been an interesting one. Shoe companies have slugged it out for the right to represent the top athletes in sports, looking for that holy grail of industry dominance along the way.
Influence is more than simply sales—though sales play a big role. It's about changing a person's way of thinking and showing them a new path.
With so many signature sneakers being offered up by shoe conglomerates, there are plenty of athletes we could put on this list. Instead, we chose to focus on 15 of the very best.
Using our special secret sauce consisting of sneaker sales, cultural significance and overall impact, here now are the 15 most influential athletes in the sneaker world.
15. Dez Bryant
1 of 15Is a football player really going to kick this list off? Yes, he is. Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys' megastar wide receiver, is easily one of the most influential athletes in terms of sneakers.
As a member of Jordan Brand, Bryant gets the most coveted releases weeks or even months before they come out. How do we know all of this? All you have to do is put on your Sherlock Holmes wool cap and head over to Bryant's Instagram account.
There you will find a treasure trove of sneaker goodness. Bryant has shown off some of the most hyped Air Jordan sneakers, giving consumers a serious dose of envy along the way.
Social media is one of the strongest forms of influence we have today. Having 846,000 followers on Instagram gives Bryant the chance to spread his message to the masses.
Because of the fact that seeing your favorite athlete wear a product is still a great way to shift the narrative in people's minds, Bryant most definitely belongs here.
14. Damian Lillard
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One of Adidas' biggest NBA attractions has been Damian Lillard. The continued maturation of the Portland Trail Blazer over the years has been huge for the company.
In 2014, the D Lillard 1 was released to facilitate his transition into an all-around superstar. The shoe itself is terrific. It's comfortable, runs a bit wide and features a ton of breathability.
With Lillard's star rising, the decision to add a signature sneaker into the mix gave him influence over that world. With Adidas and all of the company's power behind him, sneakerheads understand that Lillard is going to be a serious player in this space.
Make sure you check back in a few years, because in due time, Lillard's name should be a lot higher up on this slideshow.
13. Jamal Crawford
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Jamal Crawford's influence in the sneaker game comes from his choice to go against the grain. Throughout his career, Crawford has never worn traditional kicks.
His first big decision was to sport Reebok's collaboration with hip-hop superstar Jay Z. The S. Carter was a mid-top sneaker that used visual simplicity and Jay's name to sell units.
Crawford brought those kicks to the hardwood and was even featured in Reebok ads at the time.
In recent years, Crawford has become the signature athlete for Brandblack. The relatively new apparel company has exploded onto the scene thanks to its intricate designs and a focus on advancing sneaker culture.
The J. Crossover II is the latest Brandblack offering that Crawford has chosen to rock. We've talked it about in the past; it's easily one of the best-looking basketball shoes to come out over the last couple of the years.
Crawford's influence is unique but important. His decision to stay away from the more recognizable brands has helped shine a light on other dope companies out there grinding away.
12. Victor Cruz
4 of 15You wouldn't think that New York Giants' wide receiver Victor Cruz would be this high on the list considering he doesn't even have his own sneakers. But like Dez Bryant, Cruz has used social media and his connections to become one of the most prominent influencers around.
Cruz is a walking advertisement for what's cool in terms of kicks. His Instagram is jammed with sumptuous sneakers of all shapes and colors.
His picks mainly stay on the Nike side of things, but it's important to note that Cruz also has a relationship with the streetwear brand Kith and its founder, Ronnie Fieg. That connection has given Cruz even more prestige.
The intersection of couture fashion and athletic sneakers has reached critical mass. Everywhere you turn, there's an athlete out there fusing those two worlds together. Cruz is probably the best at doing that and broadcasting that message out to the public.
What he wears matters to people. He's developed a distinct style that has become universally recognizable.
11. Nick Young
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Nick Young doesn't need his own signature shoe to be an influential person. His sneaker game goes above and beyond most players in sports.
Young has made a habit of sporting some of the freshest kicks on the court. You could even say that the Los Angeles Lakers guard has the best taste in shoes amongst any NBA player.
The influential assault really started during the 2014 NBA season. It's not that Young wasn't wearing fire kicks before. It was that most of us really took notice when he joined the Lakers.
Joe Sherman of Complex.com declared Young the MVP of the NBA's ongoing sneaker wars. His collection includes personalized Nike products, Air Jordans and other vintage kicks we haven't seen in years.
None of this influence should be a surprise when you remember that Young has two "shoe keepers" watching over his immense collection, per Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated.
10. John Wall
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Adidas is lucky enough to have not only Damian Lillard, but also John Wall on its roster. Landing two of the NBA's top point guards has to be a good feeling.
Wall's jump from Reebok to Adidas was the right decision—for the record, Adidas is the parent company of Reebok. Joining the ranks of Derrick Rose, Wall was given prime real estate to work within the sneaker community.
All of the misses he had with Reebok were washed away with the creation of the J Wall 1.
Wall's an interesting name to be featured on this list. His porous stint with Reebok almost ended his relevance with kicks. For such a crafty and creative guard, it would have been a shame to forget 15 years from now that he even had his own pair of sneakers.
Thankfully, Adidas and Wall have formed a solid bond that's produced great performance shoes at an affordable price point. They may not have the same off-court appeal as some of the other models out there, but avid basketball players can attest to the support the J Wall 1 offers up.
His impact on sneaker culture right now is based on functionality more than aesthetics. Hopefully when the visual part catches up with the technology, Wall's influence will be even greater than it is right now.
9. Kyrie Irving
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Kyrie Irving landed his own signature sneaker with the Nike imprint at the end of 2014. Becoming the first Nike athlete to get his own shoe since Kevin Durant, Irving and the designers had a tall task in front of them.
Signature sneakers are important to a player's personal brand. Having a signature pair of kicks becomes your own calling card, in a sense.
In terms of a dope shoe, Irving's Kyrie 1 was success. The initial "Dream" colorway set the tone for what we would go on to see in coming months.
Without question, a fashion-forward heel—reminiscent of work put out by brands like Christian Louboutin—is the defining visual feature of the sneaker.
Having your own kicks is huge to becoming an influencer, but Irving's reach goes beyond that. Showcasing his own collection on Instagram, he also boasts some of the most exclusive sneakers around.
This dynamic point guard has quickly become a marquee name in the NBA. He's also one of the most influential athletes on the planet.
8. Stephen Curry
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Under Armour securing a contractual role with Stephen Curry to rep the brand was such a money decision. Who would have thought that the three-point sniper would have turned into this MVP-caliber guard so quickly?
Curry's evolution earned him the right to have his very own pair of kicks. And earlier this year, the Under Armour Curry One blasted onto shelves. A multitude of colorways have given fans plenty of options to choose from and fall in love with.
Under Armour has a bunch of athletes tied to their brand in terms of basketball. Brandon Jennings, Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter are three of the bigger names by HoopsHype's count. Despite having talent, those guys are nothing more than cogs. They won't be able to sell sneakers or elevate the brand.
Curry, on the other hand, is a different story.
His star has brought legitimacy to the apparel titan. With the Curry One, Under Armour now has a great looking and extremely playable shoe they can sell.
The Curry Ones have become a must-own for basketball heads. They are the first step for Under Armour to make a lasting dent in the sneaker world. Because of that and his crazy play, Curry's influence is high at the moment.
7. Carmelo Anthony
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Jordan Brand has a stable of talented athletes under its banner. New York Knicks' forward Carmelo Anthony is one of those guys.
Anthony may be playing for the struggling Knicks, but his shoe sales have remained strong. You wouldn't know it, but according to SportsScanInfo (h/t Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes), Melo sold $30 million worth of product for Jordan Brand in 2014.
All of the kicks that Melo and Jordan Brand have linked up in order to produce have actually turned out well. The playability that accompanies the Melo line has been excellent.
Having style matters to people. It's a staple, a rite of passage for anything related to fashion. On that front, Melo's sneakers have done a nice job as of late.
Maybe with his feet firmly planted in New York, Anthony and Jordan Brand will come up a different wave of designs down the road. Either way, Anthony remains one of the NBA's top sellers and that gives him plenty of influence around these sneaker parts.
6. Russell Westbrook
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The term fashion has become synonymous with Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook. The Jordan Brand team member has even been called a "Fashion Icon" by the likes of Sports Illustrated.
His eclectic palette and sense of design led to collaborative efforts with clothing stores like Barneys for their menswear department, as Stephanie Smith of the New York Post's Page Six reported.
Since sneakers fall perfectly under the fashion umbrella, Westbrook automatically gets a spot on this index.
Having the support of Jordan Brand has given Westbrook a chance to wear the latest models. This past season he donned the Air Jordan XX9—one of the best performing basketball shoes ever made.
Without Michael Jordan around to push his own kicks, stars like Westbrook are vital to the brand's future success.
You'd think that with all of his own personal accomplishments, Russ would eventually get his own sneaker. Well, that theory looks like it's finally come true, per the Wall Street Journal.
The shoe leaked, via Juan Martinez of Kicks on Fire, and based off the initial design, it looks to be more of a lifestyle sneaker. If that proves to be true, Westbrook will have sneaker influence on and off the court in a big way.
5. Chris Paul
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From Carmelo Anthony to Russell Westbrook, we now have to talk about another unwavering supporter of the Jordan Brand cause, Chris Paul.
The funny thing about Paul is, despite being one of the best players in the league, he always seems to fall under the radar. In sneaker terms, it feels that exact same way.
Paul has been a Jordan Brand supporter and member since 2006. As he's grown into a serious NBA commodity, he's also been blessed with his own kicks.
Paul's sneakers are so different each year that it's sometimes challenging to point out one and deem it his. Luis Sanchez of Sole Collector took a look at all of the varying models since '08 and that article shows you what we're talking about.
Even without a ton of continuity, Paul's sneakers have continued to sell. Again, tapping into the research of Forbes' Kurt Badenhausen, in 2014 alone CP3 peddled $32 million worth of shoes.
Seeing numbers like that surface is really cool. It's a credit to Chris Paul's influence and Jordan Brand's lasting appeal.
4. Derrick Rose
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Adidas' central figure in the world of basketball is Derrick Rose. Even with John Wall and Damian Lillard hanging around, Rose is still the guy.
Injuries have become a burden for Rose and that's been tough to watch. What makes it even more depressing is that the former NBA MVP isn't simply one of the best players around—he's also one of the more exciting ones to watch.
The jury is out on Rose's long-term value after overcoming so many injuries. But in terms of kicks, he's still managed to move dollars. That's thanks in part to Adidas' remarkable design team and all of the technological advances they've pumped into his shoes.
In 2014, per Kurt Badenhausen, Rose sold $32 million worth. Even though that was labeled as a 20 percent drop, it gives you hope that when Rose gets back to full strength, he will be able to continue his climb up the sneaker ladder.
We'll all be watching and praying that D Rose and Adidas' partnership blossoms even further.
3. Kobe Bryant
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There's enough evidence floating around out there to believe that Kobe Bryant could become the next Michael Jordan in the sneaker world.
Bryant hasn't played very many games over the last two seasons—41 out of a possible 164 to be exact—yet his shoes continue to sell.
Those who play in Kobe's signature sneakers shouldn't be surprised by that notion. The Kobe 9 and X are beautiful, progressive shoes loaded with technology that pushes boundaries.
Nike has managed to keep Bryant's star shining even when he isn't draining jump shots and people have responded to this. Badenhausen reveals that Bryant's "U.S. shoe sales more than doubled last year to $105 million, up from $50 million, despite Bryant missing most of the past two seasons with injuries."
Not only has Kobe been part of some of the most exciting sneakers to ever hit stores, he's also touched millions of people by way of two brands—he originally signed with Adidas after the 1996 NBA Draft.
Hopefully those numbers reported in Forbes won't become an anomaly. Wouldn't it be lovely to see how far Nike can push the envelope with the Kobe line even after his playing days are over?
2. Kevin Durant
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In terms of current athletes with specialized kicks, Kevin Durant is the near the top.
The Nike connection Durant boasts has led to sweeping creative endeavors. Starting with the KD I, we saw Nike use an expressive silhouette to interpret his peculiar style of play.
It's easy to get lost in the world of Air Jordans and forget about other great sneakers. Opening up your mind and exploring a path like the one Durant has carved out is worth it.
One of the most influential moves he made was giving the low-top sneaker a more prominent place in the basketball community. Along with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and a few others, Durant brought low-top, technology-loaded kicks back to the forefront.
KD has done a lot for sneakers and his influence is strong because of that. His palette has given consumers a choice that strays away from the norm. And the people love it.
Kurt Badenhausen reported that Durant is second in sneaker sales amongst active players with $195 million sold in 2014. That's truly amazing.
It's clear that Nike's innovation blended with Durant's star power has really helped the sneaker industry thrive in the post-Jordan era.
1. LeBron James
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When Michael Jordan relinquished his sneaker throne in 2003, LeBron James was the man who took over. The King signed on with Nike in order to facilitate that changing of the guard as a rookie.
James' personal collection with the crew from Beaverton, Oregon has turned out to be more than one could hope for on all fronts.
The biggest difference between James' sneakers and Jordan's is the whole casual element. Air Jordans are extremely popular not only because of MJ, but because the shoes are notorious for being wearable on and off the court.
With LeBron's signature sneakers, you can wear them off the court too. However, the main use of his kicks will always be based in athletics.
Blame it on James the individual. He's a bulky, powerful force who needs maximum support to operate on the court. Because of that, his shoes tend to reflect those needs, creating an ultra-athletic looking sneaker as a result.
That being said, James was still the No. 1 ranked athlete in the world in terms of 2014 sneaker sales, according to Badenhausen of Forbes. The King sold an estimated $340 million worth of kicks.
Now that's what you call influence.
All Nike product information via News.Nike.com unless noted otherwise. All Adidas information via News.Adidas.com unless noted otherwise.
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